Neighbor facing charges after spray painting racist slurs in Lake Forest driveway

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Louisville Metro Police have issued a criminal summons for a suspect involved in spray painting racist graffiti on a neighbor’s driveway three times in June.

Suzanne Craft, 53, was issued the summons by LMPD following the vandalism of two homes in the Lake Forest neighborhood. Craft will be charged with three counts of criminal mischief and three counts of harassing communications.

Michael and Connie Pineda initially told WAVE 3 News that they had been victims of vandalism starting last July after coming home and finding grass they believed was burned.

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The Pinedas said the vandalism escalated in June, finding racial slurs and swastikas spray painted on their driveway on June 7, 18, and 27.

On June 29, the Lake Forest Community Association issued a statement on their Facebook page saying they were made aware of the incidents and were reviewing the matter with its Board of Directors and legal Counsel.

“The Lake Forest Community Association stands firmly against racial intolerance, in all of its forms. The Lake Forest neighborhood should be a place where all residents and visitors feel welcome, safe and happy,” the statement reads. It is the expectation that community residents and visitors do their part to ensure that Lake Forest is such a neighborhood.

District 19 Metro Council member Anthony Piagentini, who lives in the same neighborhood as the Pinedas, also commented on the vandalism. Piagentini called the language “reprehensible”, and had worked with LMPD for weeks to find the suspect.

Piagentini posted on July 7 that he had heard many concerns about the property damage within the neighborhood, and mentioned that charges had been filed against the suspect.

“I am very happy to report that LMPD Detectives and the county prosecutors have issued charges against the alleged perpetrator,” Piagentini said in the post. “And they will be carrying an additional hate crime charge due to the nature language used in the vandalism.”

Craft will appear in court on Wednesday, July 15.